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(No Model.) 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. TRUEB.

THERMOMBTRIO REGULATOR FOR HEATING APPARATUS. No. 354,522. A Patented Dec. 14, 1886.

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(N0 Model.) s'sheets-sneet 2.

J. TRUEB THERMOMETRIG REGULATOR FOR HEATING APPARATUS. No. 354,522. Patented Dec. 14, 1886.

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(No Model.) BSheets-Sheet 3.

JJTRUEB. THERMOMETRIG REGULATOR FOR HEATING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 14, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB TRUEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THERMOMETRIC REGULATOR FOR HEATING APPARATUS.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,522, dated December 14, 1886.

Application filed November 23, 1885. Serial No. 183,791. .(No model.)

A To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AOOB TRUEB, of. the city, county, and State of New York, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermometric Regulators for Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved thermometric regulator for steam, air, or hot-wa ter heating systems, by which the heat is regulated automatically and retained at a certain fixed temperature; and it relates more especially to a regulator of that class in which one or more closed vessels or receptacles filled with a suitable expansible liquid are exposed to the action of the air in the building the heat of which is to be regulated, the closed vessels communicating with a cylinder and piston, so as to operate said piston by the ex pansion and contraction of said liquid, and actuate thereby an intermediate lever mechanism that is connected to the steam,water, or air supply Valve of the heating apparatus, and adapted to open or close the valve, according as the temperature of the room rises or falls above or below a certain fixed temperature.

The invention consists of a novel combination of the closed vessels containing the eX- pansible liquid with the actuating cylinder and piston; of devices for lubricating said cylinder and piston; of a novel mechanism for transmitting the motion of the piston to the supply valve; of means for adj usting said transmitting mechanism so as to open or close the valve at the required degree of temperature; of a novel construction of the supplyvalve, whereby the same is balanced by an auxiliary valve, so as to respond quickly to the different changes or position of the intermediate transmitting mechanism; and, lastly, of other details of construction and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation, partly in section, of my improved thermometric regulator for heating apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sections, respectively on line w w and y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 .2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the supply apparatus or valve. Fig. Gis aside elevation, and Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical transverse sections of the same, respectively on lines 0 c and 75 k, Fig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 7

My improved regulator consists of three main parts: first, a closed apparatus filled with a liquid which by the influence of the temperature of the surrounding air is expanded or contracted so as to operate a piston guided in a uniformly-lubricated cylinder;

secondly, a compound adjustable and springactuated lever mechanism that is operated by said piston; and, thirdly, of a supply apparatus or valve which is actuated by the intermediate lever mechanism, so as to regulate the supply of steam, hot water, or air to the pipes of the heating apparatus.

A in the drawings represents a closed vessel, which contains a suitable expansible liquidsuch as mercury, spirits of turpentine, alcohol, &c.-and which vessel is composed preferably of a number of vertical wroughtiron tubes, at a, that are closed at the top by a cast-iron cap, a, and connected tightly at the lower ends by a cast-iron collar, a, and suitable packing,with a horizontal bracket, 1), of the supporting main plate B. The lower collar, a, is flanged and attached by screws a to the bracket 21, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower ends of the tubes a or communicate with an annular channel, b, in the bracket b,which channel is connected by a channel, I), with a vertical cylinder, 0, that is also supported on the bracket 1), and closed by a cap, 0, having an air-vent hole, b In the cylinder C is guided a nicely-fitting piston, D, the pistonrod D of which is guided by the cap O and by a sleeve-shaped bearing, D, cast integral with the supporting-plate B. The cylinder 0 and piston D are lubricated by a certain quantity of oil, which fills the connecting-channels b b, the space below the liquid in the tubes at a, and the space above and below the piston D. The oil is supplied from an oil-receptacle, E, which is arranged sidewise of the piston, closed by a screw-cap, E, and connected by a vertical channel, I), with the channel I) of the bracket 1). A stop-cock, If, in the vertical too channel b serves to close or establish the communication between the channels I) b and the cylinder 0.

The cylinder 0 and the oil-receptacle E are made in one casting that is supported by the bracket 12, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The upper part of the wall of the cylinder 0 is made thinner than the lower part, and connected with the oil-receptacle E by an inclined channel, If, through which the oil that passes up between the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder is reconducted to the oil-receptacle. By this gradual upward passage of the oil in the cylinder G'the relative position of the oil in the cylinder and the receptacle is slowly changed, whereby the accurate working of the apparatus might be impaired.

To supply the required quantity of oil to the space below the piston D, the stop-cock b is opened from time to time, so that the oil can pass through the channels I) b to the lower part of the cylinder 0. The stop-cock b is then closed again and the piston resumes its regular normal position.

The piston-rod D is preferably made in one piece with the piston D, and provided at its upper end with a rack, d, which meshes with a toothed segment, F, having an upwardly-extending arm, F, provided with an index-mark, i, and a downwardlyextending arm, F also provided with an index-mark, i. The downwardly-extending arm F carries in a sleeveshaped portion, f, having an interior screwthread, a transverse set-screw, f, to the ends of which are applied adjusting-nuts The hub of the toothed segment Fturns on a fixed pin, f which is supported by a socket, f", that is cast integral with the supportingplate B, said segment being retained on the pin f by a washer and set-screw. The longer upwardly-extending arm F serves as a pointer, and moves along a graduated scale, f at the upper part of the plate B. The position of the arm F indicates the temperature of the building within which the regulating apparatus is located.

A thermometer, T, is arranged at any suitable point on the supportingplate B, and is used for comparing the temperature indicated by it with the temperature indicated on the scale f 5 by the arm F of the regulating apparatus, and for readjusting said arm when there is a difference between the temperature indicated by the thermometer and the temperature indicated by the arm F. The temperature indicated by the arm F on the graduated scale f 5 should always correspond to the temperature indicated by the thermometer T. As soon as there is a difference between the temperature indicated by the thermometer and the arm F the position of the piston has to be readjusted. This is readily accomplished by setting the arm F on the scale f to the temperature indicated by the thermometer and then opening the stop-cock b, so as to readjust the oil in the cylinder below the pisston by means of the oil-receptacle.

The toothed segment F is connected by the arm F its set-screwf, and the screw-nuts f with the ring-shaped lower part, G, of a leverarm G. The lever-arm G turns by a hub, g, on the pin f of the segment F. The position of the lever-arm G with regard to the segment F is adjusted by the set-screw f and the screwnuts f one of which is secured rigidly to the set-screw f, while the other turns loosely thereon, and serves to establish the rigid connection of the set-screw f with the ringshaped part G. The lower part of the ringshaped part G is provided with a graduated scale, 9, by which the part G is set to the index-point i of the arm F and thereby the lever-arm G shifted to a higher or lower position, according as ahigher or lower temperature is desired in the rooms to be heated. The graduated scale 9 indicates the degree of temperature at which the surrounding air has to be kept by the automatic functioning of the regulating apparatus. The curved arm G bears on an anti-friction roller h of a 'pivo tpin, h,-that connects the transmitting-lever H and its steadying-lever I. The lever-arm G is so curved that it exerts in the different positions of the pivot h and the levers H and la uniform pressure on the piston D, and by the same on the liquid in the closed vessel A.

The lever H is pivoted at its lower end to the head of an extension-rod, H, which passes through a perforated ear, h of the supporting-plate B, and is guided thereby. Between the ear h and the head it of the leverH is interposed a strong spiral spring, H The steadying-lever I is applied by a sleeve, h, to the rear end of the pivot it, back of the supportingplate B, and by a pivot, h, at its 0pposite end to a socket, h, of the same, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The pressure of the spring H is transmitted, by lever H, lever-arm G, segment F, cylinder 0, and piston D, to the liquid in the regulatingtubes a a. By altering the relative position of the curved leverarm G'to the toothed segment F by means of the ring-shaped part G, set-screw f, and nuts f f the tension of the spring H can be regulated so that it accomplishes the opening of the supply-valve O at the exact temperature which the arm F indicates on the ring-shaped part G. The opening and closing of the supply-valve will take place according to the degree of temperature indicated by the arm F on the scale 9.

When the arm F has been set for a higher or lower degree of temperature, the temperature of the room within which the regulating apparatus is'located will be raised or lowered to correspond thereto, and controlled by the arm F and scale f and thermometer T.

The lever I guides the spring-pressed lever H in its upward and downward motion and causes it to move through the arc of a circle.

The pivot h is further provided, intermediate] y between the hubs of the levers H and I, with a second anti-friction roller, h, against which bears a bent lever-arm, L, that is pivoted at its lower end to a socket, h, of the supportingplate B, and at its upper end to afixed sleeve, h of a connecting-rod, M, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The opposite end of the rod M is attached by screw-nuts n n to a lever-arm, N, by which the supply-valve O of the heating apparatus is opened or closed, as shown in Fig. 6.

The connecting-rod M is guided in a lug, m, of the supportingplate B, and provided at the end next adjoining the lug m with a collar, m,

between which and the lug m a spiral spring, m, is interposed. The spiral spring at exerts a pressure on the connect-ingrod M, and serves to keep the supply-valve in closed position until the tension of the spring in is overcome by the action of the regulating apparatus and its auxiliary transmitting-spring H The connecting-rod M is operated by the action of the levers H, I, and L and the spring H according as the piston is raised or lowered by the expansion and contraction of the liquid in the tubes a a. The anti-friction roller h on the pivot h of the levers H and I describes an arc of a circle, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and exerts thereby a pressure on the lever L, so as to move the samesidewise on its pivot in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. The connecting-rod M is thereby operated and the supply-valve opened.

When the regulator is used with air or hotwater heating apparatus, the opening or closing of the supp1y-valve is accomplished in the manner described; but as a greater stroke of the lever L is required, the transmitting mechanism has to be so arranged as to impart the increased motion. This is accomplished by making the length of the toothed segment F, that meshes with the piston-rod D, as small as possible and the lever G as large as possible. For this purpose, however, it may be of advantage to remove the anti-friction roller h from the pivot h of the levers H and I, and arrange it on the curved lever G, at the proper distance from the hub of the same, and the form of the lever L to correspond thereto.

The supply-valve O is arranged in a casing, O, to which the steam, air, or hot-water supply pipe S is connected. Thesupply-valve O is applied by apivot-link, p, to the upper arm of an elbow-lever, P, that is fulcrumed to the casing O, the fulcrum p turning in suitable bearings of the casing. The lower arm of the elbow-lever l? is pivoted to the stem of a balance-valve, 0 which is fitted to a valveseat in the outlet-pipe S in front of the supplyvalve 0. By the pivotlink connection of the supply-valve O with the arm of the elbowlever the valve fits always tightly to its seat.

. In case steam is used as the beating medium, the water of condensation is collected at the lower part of the casing O and passed off through a suitable drip-cock, (not shown in the drawings,) so that the supply-valve is always above the level of the water of condensation in the casing. The balance-valve O facilitates the easy play of the supply-valve 0, so that the same responds quickly to the action of the regulating apparatus.

In some cases it may be of advantage to use a simpler and smaller form of apparatus, which can be accomplished by pivoting the lever H directly to the piece G, and dispensing thereby with the steadying-lever I and lever-arm G, and arranging the anti-friction roller h on the piece G, so as to press on the lever L. When it should not be desired to regulate the heat at a certain fixed temperature, the ring-shaped part G of the lever G can be dispensed with, in which case the lever G is directly connected to the lever L. A still simpler form of the regulating apparatus is obtained by dispensing entirely with the lever G and its ringshaped part G and levers I and L, and connecting the lever H and the governing-rod M directly to the segment F and its arm F. A very reliable and sensitive regulator for heating apparatus is thereby obtained, by which the temperature of the space to be heated is indicated and regulated in a reliable and automatic manner. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1; The combination of a closed vessel con- ;taining an expansible liquid, a cylinder connected thereto, a piston within said cylinder, a piston-rod having a rack-shaped portion, a toothed segment, intermediate spring-actuated lever mechanism, a supply-valve, and a governing-rod connecting said lever mechanism with the supplyvalve, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, ina regulator for heating apparatus, of a closed vessel containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder connected thereto, a piston guided in said cylinder and provided with a rack-shaped piston-rod, a transmitting-lever having a toothed segment, said lever moving along a scale of the supporting-plate, an oil-receptacle arranged alongside of the cylinder and connected with the cylinder and said closed vessel, and means for establishing or interrupting the communication of said oil-receptacle with the cylinder, so as to readjust the position of the transmittinglever, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a closed vessel con taining an expansible liquid, a cylinder having an enlarged upper part, a piston having a rack-shaped piston-rod, a transmitting-lever having a toothed segment meshing therewith, said lever moving along a scale of the supporting plate, an oilreceptacle arranged alongside of the cylinder and connected with the same and the closed vessel, a stop-cock located in the channel leading to the oil-recepta cle, and an inclined channel connecting the upper part of the cylinder with the oil-receptacle, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination of a closed vessel, A, containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder, 0, connected therewith, a piston, D, having rack-shaped piston-rod D, a toothed segment, F, having an upwardlyextending arm, F,

IIO

and adownwardly-extending arm, F the latter being provided with a set-screw, f, having screw-nutsf atransmitting lever-arm, G, having a ring-shaped part, G, connected to the arm F, a spring-actuated lever,'H, a steadying-lever, I, a transmitting-lever, L, a spring-pressed connectingrod, M, a crankarm, N, and a balanced suppl'y valve, 0, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a closed vessel, A, containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder, 0, connected therewith, a piston, D, having a rack shaped' piston-rod, D, a toothed seg' ment, F, having arms F F a lever-arm, G, havinga ring-shaped part, G, connected adj ustably tothe arm F, a spring-actuated lever, H, a steadying-lever, I, pivoted to the lever H, an oscillating transmitting -lever, L, a spring-actuated connecting-rod, M, a crankarm, N, and a balanced supply-valve, 0, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a closed vessel containing an expansible liquid, a cylinder connected thereto, a piston having a racleshaped pistonrod, a toothed segment meshing there- With, said segment having an arm moving along a scale of the supporting-plate, a transbalanced supply-valve connected to the heat ing apparatus, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres ence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB TRUEB. I

Witnesses PAUL GoEPEL, SIDNEY MANN. 

